Mercer University Director of Athletics Jim Cole announced Monday that head men’s basketball coach Bob Hoffman has agreed to terms on a three-year contract extension. The most recent add-on to Hoffman’s deal secures his place at Mercer through the 2020-21 season.
"We’re extremely excited to have gotten this deal done," Cole said. "Under Bob’s leadership, the men’s basketball program has represented Mercer in the utmost fashion on and off the court. While the team’s recent accomplishments have been truly remarkable, we look forward to a bright future for the squad with Bob at the helm."
The newest contract replaces a one-year add-on inked in December designed to keep Hoffman in Macon through the 2017-18 season. Monday’s announcement marked the fourth time Mercer has extended Hoffman’s contract since the coach came to Macon in March of 2008.
"I’m thrilled about all the things that have transpired with our program and the overall direction of the university," Hoffman said. "The support we continue to receive from President Underwood, Jim Cole and everyone associated with the university is crucial to our success, and we’re excited to see what we can accomplish in the days ahead."
With an overall record of 126-82 in six seasons at the helm of the program, Hoffman’s most recent campaign produced a memorable postseason run that saw the team make a splash on the national landscape with a 78-71 win over Duke in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
Hoffman closed the books on the 2013-14 season in the NCAA Round of 32 with a 27-9 overall record, tying the school’s best single-season win total. Under his guidance, the Bears have collected three-straight 20-win seasons and earned postseason wins in each of those years.
Throughout his stay at Mercer, Hoffman has procured several notable distinctions, most recently including back-to-back Atlantic Sun Coach of the Year honors, Fellowship of Christian Athletes Coach of the Year recognition in 2014 and the 2014 Atlanta Tip Off Club Georgia Coach of the Year award.
Hawkins Arena has been permanently transformed by Hoffman’s clubs, bearing the evidence of a championship legacy that includes banners for the 2012 CollegeInsider.com Tournament Championship, the 2013 A-Sun Regular Season Championship and the 2013 NIT Round of 16. Next year, banners for the 2014 A-Sun Regular Season Championship, the 2014 A-Sun Tournament Championship and the 2014 NCAA Round of 32 will find a home in the rafters.
Off the court, Hoffman has instilled a culture of service upon his team, having his student-athletes and coaches maintain a presence in the community while participating in projects like Macon Impact, Rebuilding Macon and the GEAR-Up program – among numerous other outreach initiatives.
In 2013, Mercer collected the coveted National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Team Academic Excellence Award as one of just 23 Division I teams with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher. The team anticipates garnering the same award this summer, and recently saw eight players graduate on Saturday as a part of the school’s Macon commencement.
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